“Like St James, having Jesus as the Best Friend of our life!”

(Based on the Feast of St James, the Apostle)

A class of Standard Five students were being taught the value of friendship.

At the end of the class, the teacher, while revising, asked the children to give a short definition of friendship.

Little Jane lifted up her hand and replied:
“A friend is someone who knows all about you…
… lavishes love on you, for being just as you are
… and yet, gently leads you, to become better than what you are!”

The Gospel of the Day is a beautiful account of Jesus, the True Friend who lavishes His Love for His disciples…
… and yet, gently, leads them to become better disciples!

The Gospel narrative begins with the mother of Apostles James and John, requesting the Lord to grant her children a privileged place in the Kingdom.

In her tenderness and affection as a mother, she wished that her children be always close to the Lord…
But the Lord replied: “You do not know what you are asking!” (Mt 20:22)

The Lord was inviting the mother… and the disciples… and each one of us to understand…
… “What it really means to be close to the Lord!”

Did they really know what it meant to be close to the Lord?

Do I really know what it means to be close to the Lord?

St James had enjoyed a privileged place in the Band of the Apostles of Jesus.

He was in the Core Group – one of the Three – Peter and John being the other two- who had the opportunity to be with the Lord in some of His special and extraordinary moments.

Raising the dead daughter of Jairus…
Transfiguration on the mountain top….
Moments of praying and agony in the Garden of Gethsemane….

James was indeed physically close to the Lord…

But the Lord today invites…with much love and affection…

James and his brother John
Their mother
The disciples
… and each one of us
To really realize the meaning, of asking “to be closer to Him”

Being close to the Lord means: Making changes in our lifestyle and to be in accord with the Will of God!

Look at the lives of Mother Mary… St Joseph… St Paul… St Peter… St Matthew

Being close to the Lord means: To get out of comfort zones & taking risks in life, for Christ’s sake!

Look at the lives of the Good Samaritan… Nicodemus… Simon of Cyrene

Being close to the Lord means: Giving up a sinful life and amending our ways to seek for holiness!

Look at the lives of Zacchaeus… the Woman caught in adultery… the Samaritan Woman… the Good Thief…

Being close to the Lord means: Embracing sufferings that come our way, seeing the Providence of God!

Look at the lives of Mother Mary… St John the Baptist… St Stephen… St Paul…

In asking to be close to the Lord, we also say that…
… Yes Lord, I will share in your cup of suffering.
… Yes Lord, I will join you on the way of the Cross
… Yes Lord, I will unite with your death on the Cross!

The mother of John and James realized this…

That’s why we find her….at the Foot of the Cross (Mt 27:56)

She understood.

She got close to Jesus.
She remained till the end.
She drank the Cup!

John also realized this…

That’s we find him, according to tradition, suffering during the Roman Persecution

He understood.

He got close to Jesus.
He remained till the end.
He drank the Cup!

James also realized this…

That’s why we find him, killed by the sword, in witness to Christ, His Master (Acts 12:2)

He understood.

He got close to Jesus.
He remained till the end.
He drank the Cup!

The Lord also promises…

He who shares my cup, also shares my Glory!
He who shares my cross, also shares my Rising!

The Apostle James, went close to the Lord, drank the Cup…
… and he shares in the Joy of the Lord

Today, he intercedes and invites and beckons us…

To come closer to the Lord…
… and share in the Lord’s Joy and Glory!

Are we willing to be close…really close…
… to Jesus, our Beloved Friend?

He is our Best Friend “Who knows all about us …
… lavishes His love on us, for being just as we are
… and yet, gently leads us, to become better than what we are!”

Feast Day Greetings of the Apostle St James!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
LIFE IN CHRIST

Catechesis has to reveal in all clarity the joy and the demands of the way of Christ.
Catechesis for the “newness of life” in him should be:

• a catechesis of the Holy Spirit, the interior Master of life according to Christ, a gentle guest and friend who inspires, guides, corrects, and strengthens this life;
• a catechesis of grace, for it is by grace that we are saved and again it is by grace that our works can bear fruit for eternal life. (CCC # 1697)